The Institute of Museum and Library Services has awarded a $943,052 program grant to the FSU College of Information for “1-2-3 LEAD: School Library Media Specialists for the 21st Century: Leaders Educated to Make a Difference." Drs. Nancy Everhart and Eliza T. Dresang are the co-principal investigators on the grant.

The FSU College of Information will partner with six Florida school districts—Broward, Gadsden, Leon, Pinellas, Polk, and Santa Rosa County—and Florida A & M University, to recruit and educate 30 teacher-leaders to become library leaders. Participants will complete Florida State University’s online master’s degree program and obtain Florida certification as school library media specialists.

They will also attend two summer leadership workshops led by the Educational Testing Service and the American Association of School Librarians, attend relevant workshops, and present or volunteer at state and national conferences. All graduates will be placed in school media positions upon completion of the program and certification. Graduates of “1-2-3 LEAD” will be prepared to achieve National Board Certification early in their school library media careers.

This award is one of 35 from the IMLS 2006 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, earmarked to go to U.S. universities, libraries, and library organizations to recruit and educate librarians. The purpose of the grant is to help fill a shortage of school library media specialists, library school faculty, and librarians working in underserved communities, as well as the expected shortage created by the retirement of library directors and senior librarians within the next 20 years.